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Plant Profile

Sensitive Joint-vetch (Aeschynomene virginica)

Flowering plants can be seen in the foreground, growing on the banks a freshwater, tidal stream.. Photo Credit: Alan Griffith
  • Global Rank: G2 - Imperiled
  • Legal Status: Federally Threatened
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • State: DE, MD, NC, NJ, PA, VA
  • Nature Serve ID: 159058
  • Lifeform: Forb/herb
  • Date Inducted in National Collection: 02/10/1987
Description:

Sensitive joint-vetch, so-named because its leaves fold slightly when touched, inhabits freshwater tidal marshes along the mid-Atlantic coast. Only 24 populations remain in New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia, and the species has shrunk substantially from its former distribution, which once also included Pennsylvania and Delaware. Factors contributing to the decline of Aeschynomene virginica include: road construction; residential, commercial and industrial development; water pollution; bank erosion; and motor boat traffic -- all associated with extremely rapid population growth in the mid-Atlantic states. Interestingly, Aeschynomene virginica has frequently been confused in the scientific literature with the invasive weed, Aeschynomene indica, and referred to erroneously as an agricultural pest! Recent genetic and taxonomic studies have resolved this confusion (Carulli and Fairbrothers 1988, Isley 1990). Research and Management Summary: This species has been relatively well studied. A number of sites in the United States are protected by The Nature Conservancy, and some work is being done to remove invasive species. Plant Description: Aeschynomene virginica is a robust, annual herb in the pea family that grows up to 2 meters (6 feet) tall. It produces alternate, compound leaves with 30-56 leaflets along the stem that are slightly hairy and dotted with glands. Flowers are pea-like, about 1 cm (0.4 in) long, and yellow with prominent red veins; flowers appear in late July and continue into autumn. Fruits are segmented pods about 6 cm (2.3 in) long and are produced until first frost.

Where is Sensitive Joint-vetch (Aeschynomene virginica) located in the wild?

Habitat:

Aeschynomene virginica is native to freshwater tidal marshes of the mid-Atlantic states (USFWS 1992). These marshes exhibit twice-daily tides, but occur far enough upstream that they are nearly fresh or barely brackish in water chemistry. Salinity of one site in New Jersey ranges from 0.7 to 0.8 ppt with an average pH of 4.4. (NatureServe 2001). Only a small group of plants can tolerate this tidal inundation; thus, freshwater tidal marshes are home to many specialized and rare species. Aeschynomene virginica grows low in the intertidal zone where soils may be mucky, sandy, or gravelly (Department of Conservation and Recreation 1997). Aeschynomene virginica may perform best in areas of the marsh where competition with other plants is reduced -- for example, newly accreting shores or openings created by wrack deposition or muskrat activity (Department of Conservation and Recreation 1997). In North Carolina, A. virginica has been found in a few road-side ditches and wet corn fields, but these are not considered stable populations (Leonard 1985, USFWS 1992). Biological inventories of available freshwater tidal marsh habitat in North Carolina did not turn up additional populations, so the outlook for the taxon in that state is uncertain. Plant species commonly associated with A. virginica include: Zizania aquatica, Peltandra virginica, Pontederia cordata, Bidens laevis, Polygonum arifolium, P. sagittatum, and Leersia oryzoides, and, in southern areas, another similar legume, Chamaecrista fasciculata var. macrosperma (Department of Conservation and Recreation 1997, NatureServe 2001).

Distribution:

Known from 24 documented populations in New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. The species is most abundant in Virginia, with 20 populations occurring there along six rivers. An additio

States & Provinces:

Sensitive Joint-vetch can be found in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia

Which CPC Partners conserve Sensitive Joint-vetch (Aeschynomene virginica)?

CPC's Plant Sponsorship Program provides long term stewardship of rare plants in our National Collection. We are so grateful for all our donors who have made the Plant Sponsorship Program so successful. We are in the process of acknowledging all our wonderful plant sponsorship donors on our website. This is a work in progress and will be updated regularly.

Conservation Actions

  • 08/26/2020
  • Demographic Research

Biologist Joe Patt (The Nature Conservancy, Delaware Bayshores Office) is conducting studies of population dynamics, pollination and herbivory on the Maurice River watershed population of A. virginica. He notes high variability in population numbers from year to year (fluctuating from thousands to tens of thousands of plants), and is devising a consistent transect method for censusing plants

  • 08/26/2020
  • Orthodox Seed Banking

The New England Wild Flower Society and partners in mid-Atlantic states have collected seeds from several populations. Accessions are also held by the National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado.

  • 08/14/2020
  • Genetic Research

Professor Peter F. Straub of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey is measuring homozygosity levels in populations of A. virginica.

  • 08/13/2020
  • Reproductive Research

Biologist Joe Patt (The Nature Conservancy, Delaware Bayshores Office) is conducting studies of population dynamics, pollination and herbivory on the Maurice River watershed population of A. virginica. He notes high variability in population numbers from year to year (fluctuating from thousands to tens of thousands of plants), and is devising a consistent transect method for censusing plants.

  • 08/13/2020
  • Propagation Research

Jerry M. Baskin (University of Kentucky) received funding from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to study seed germination in A. virginica. The species germinates without dormancy following scarification and treatment with 30 oC/15 oC temperatures in the laboratory (Baskin and Baskin 1998: 494).

  • 08/13/2020
  • Reintroduction

Graduate student, Alan Griffith (University of Maryland) is completing his doctoral dissertation on metapopulation dynamics of Aeschynomene virginica. He has transplanted seedlings of the plant to research plots and notes that survivorship and seed production of A. virginica are significantly higher in areas where other vegetation has been cleared. Survivorship of seedlings is still below 20%, however.

  • 08/13/2020
  • Demographic Research

24 populations of Aeschynomene virginica are documented in the original recovery plan, but one historic population in Virginia was rediscovered in 2001. New Jersey supports several thousand plants in 2 populations: one in the Maurice River watershed and one near the Hudson (American Museum of Natural History 2001, Joseph Patt [The Nature Conservancy] unpublished data). Maryland has one population of several hundred plants. North Carolina's ditch populations are very small and variable from year to year. Virginia reports approximately 5,000 plants altogether. Therefore, the global population is on the order of 10,000 plants (USFWS 1992). Population numbers fluctuate widely among years, making global population estimates problematic. Student Elizabeth Mountz presented an abstract discussing the identification of essential habitat for A. virginica at the 2000 Student Research Conference for the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia (contact conference organizer, Heidi B. Davis [hbdavis@odu.edu] for information on obtaining conference proceedings).

  • 08/13/2020
  • Genetic Research

Allozyme variation distinguishing Aeschynomene virginica from congeners has been documented (Carulli and Fairbrothers 1988). The Chloroplast DNA (cDNA) sequence has been published for the taxon (GenBank release 123.0, April 2001).

  • 08/13/2020
  • Orthodox Seed Banking

The New England Wild Flower Society and partners in mid-Atlantic states have collected seeds from several populations. Accessions are also held by the National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado.

  • 08/13/2020
  • Seed Collection

The New England Wild Flower Society and partners in mid-Atlantic states have collected seeds from several populations. Accessions are also held by the National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Nature Serve Biotics
  • 05/02/2017

There are about 20 remaining occurrences, including a couple of unstable ditch populations. The plants are restricted to the relatively limited zone of fresh water habitat that is tidally influenced. Habitat alteration has been, and continues to be, a severe threat to this species' continued existence. Many sites where it occurred historically have been dredged, filled, or bulkheaded. Surviving occurrences are potentially threatened by many factors related to increased population growth, including road construction, residential and commercial development, water pollution, water withdrawal projects, and bank erosion from motorboat traffic. Insect predation on seed pods and displacement by aggressive, non-native plant species are also threats.

Elizabeth J. Farnsworth
  • 01/01/2010

As identified by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (1992): Habitat destruction due to shoreline stabilization, rip-rapping, channelization, and dredging to support residential, commercial, and industrial development Shoreline erosion due to boat

Elizabeth J. Farnsworth
  • 01/01/2010

24 populations of Aeschynomene virginica are documented in the original recovery plan, but one historic population in Virginia was rediscovered in 2001. New Jersey supports several thousand plants in 2 populations: one in the Maurice River watershed and one near the Hudson (American Museum of Natural History 2001, Joseph Patt [The Nature Conservancy] unpublished data). Maryland has one population of several hundred plants. North Carolina's ditch populations are very small and variable from year to year. Virginia reports approximately 5,000 plants altogether. Therefore, the global population is on the order of 10,000 plants (USFWS 1992). Population numbers fluctuate widely among years, making global population estimates problematic.

Elizabeth J. Farnsworth
  • 01/01/2010

Allozyme variation distinguishing Aeschynomene virginica from congeners has been documented (Carulli and Fairbrothers 1988). The Chloroplast DNA (cDNA) sequence has been published for the taxon (GenBank release 123.0, April 2001) Botanist Gerry Moore (Brooklyn Botanical Garden) has surveyed extensive areas of the Maurice River watershed in New Jersey for additional populations of Aeschynomene virginica. Graduate student, Alan Griffith (University of Maryland) is completing his doctoral dissertation on metapopulation dynamics of Aeschynomene virginica. He has transplanted seedlings of the plant to research plots and notes that survivorship and seed production of A. virginica are significantly higher in areas where other vegetation has been cleared. Survivorship of seedlings is still below 20%, however. Jerry M. Baskin (University of Kentucky) received funding from the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to study seed germination in A. virginica. The species germinates without dormancy following scarification and treatment with 30 oC/15 oC temperatures in the laboratory (Baskin and Baskin 1998: 494). Student Elizabeth Mountz presented an abstract discussing the identification of essential habitat for A. virginica at the 2000 Student Research Conference for the Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia (contact conference organizer, Heidi B. Davis [hbdavis@odu.edu] for information on obtaining conference proceedings). Biologist Joe Patt (The Nature Conservancy, Delaware Bayshores Office) is conducting studies of population dynamics, pollination and herbivory on the Maurice River watershed population of A. virginica. He notes high variability in population numbers from year to year (fluctuating from thousands to tens of thousands of plants), and is devising a consistent transect method for censusing plants. Professor Peter F. Straub of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey is measuring homozygosity levels in populations of A. virginica. The New England Wild Flower Society and partners in mid-Atlantic states have collected seeds from several populations. Accessions are also held by the National Seed Storage Laboratory in Fort Collins, Colorado.

Elizabeth J. Farnsworth
  • 01/01/2010

Currently, sites in Virginia and New Jersey are protected by The Nature Conservancy The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey is removing invasive Phragmites australis near one population along the Manumuskin River (contact Joe Patt, TNC, jpatt@tnc.org for more information)

Elizabeth J. Farnsworth
  • 01/01/2010

What is needed: A survey of the prevalence and impacts of invasive species on existing populations is needed, and the effect of invasive species removal on this species needs to be monitored Studies of the impacts of nutrient loading on ecophysiology, symbiotic nodulation, and fitness of A. virginica. Studies to inform the creation of habitat or optimal conditions for establishment of A. virginica Study of the impacts of rising sea level (increased salinity) on A. virginica and other freshwater wetland plant species Basic information on pollinator identity, herbivores, nodulation symbionts, and other factors influencing establishment and fitness

Elizabeth J. Farnsworth
  • 01/01/2010

Systematic seed germination trials should be initiated Propagation of A. virginica for wetland restoration and possible mitigation would also be beneficial

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Nomenclature
Taxon Aeschynomene virginica
Authority (L.) B.S.P.
Family Fabaceae
CPC Number 35
ITIS 25359
USDA AEVI3
Duration Annual
Common Names sensitive joint-vetch | Virginia joint-vetch | northern jointvetch | Virginia jointvetch
Associated Scientific Names Aeschynomene aspera Willd. | Aeschynomene hispida Willd. | Hedysarum virginica L. | Aeschynomene virginica
Distribution Known from 24 documented populations in New Jersey, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. The species is most abundant in Virginia, with 20 populations occurring there along six rivers. An additio
State Rank
State State Rank
Delaware SX
Maryland S1
North Carolina S1
New Jersey S1
Pennsylvania SX
Virginia S2
Ecological Relationships

Photos
Videos
Pollinators
Common Name Name in Text Association Type Source InteractionID
Bees
Bumble bees Bombus Floral Visitor Link
Leaf-cutting bees Megachilidae Floral Visitor Link
Bumble bees Small bumble bee Confirmed Pollinator Link
Butterflies & Moths
Skippers Ancyloxypha numitor Floral Visitor Link
Reintroduction
Lead Institution State Reintroduction Type Year of First Outplanting
North Carolina Botanical Garden North Carolina Reintroduction 2021

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